Saturday, December 09, 2006

Christmas trees removed from Sea-Tac airport.



*** UPDATE *** The Rabbi has withdrawn his threat to sue due to various forms of hate mail received by him. The trees are now back up at Sea-Tac....

SEATTLE-TACOMA Airport WA - All of the Christmas trees inside the terminal at Sea-Tac have been removed in response to a complaint by a rabbi.

A local rabbi wanted to install an 8-foot menorah and have a public lighting ceremony. He threatened to sue if the menorah wasn't put up, and gave a two-day deadline to remove the trees. What a putz... I mean really this Rabbi needs to get a grip. Threatening to sue because of Christmas trees. What is the world coming too?

Sea-Tac public affairs manager Terri-Ann Betancourt said the trees that adorn the Sea-Tac upper and lower levels may not properly represent all cultures. So, it is America and the vast majority of people celebrate Christmas. A Christmas tree isn't areligiouss symbol as such. The fact that they took the trees down tells me that USA is getting way too PC.

She said that since this is their busiest time of year and they don't have time to add a fair representation of all cultures, her department decided to take down all of the decorations, review their policies, and decide if they need to make a change for next year.

"You know, our focus is on customer service, getting our passengers through the airport, and we thought if we could take the trees down and avoid litigation because we don't want tolitigatee with this individual, we want to reach some kind of solution," Betancourt said. "But that is going to take some thoughtful discussion and we would like to have time to have that thoughtful discussion."

Until then, no Christmas decor at Sea-Tac.

The same decorations have been put up for at least 10 years, she added. What a complete and utter bah humbug attitude the Rabbi has.. I would have told him to back off and make a submission for next year for his menorah.

4 comments:

Rob Good said...

I certainly don't condone Mel Gibson's or your comments anonymous...

Anonymous said...

I think that some people simply forget to give gratitude back to the country that lets them be who they are, or have allowed them to live in peace and prosper. America was founded on a Christian background, and though "In God We Trust" is or was in US currency, America allows the existence of non-Christians and atheists with equal rights. Certainly not live and let live. And then again, I suppose it proves that any form of extremism, in any direction, is certainly not healthy at all.

Mike J. Stark said...

America - the nation of free speech. Certainly the Rabbi must have the opportunity to state an arguement. However percentage speak the christian nation is a far larger force and I guess majority rulz.
I see no reason at all why the decorations should come down at all unless they were an obstacle to any safety regulations. At the very least on request the airport could mark some part of the public space with respect to other religions i spose.

Rob Good said...

Even in the bank here the other day the manager said thaty were not allowed treees because they were a fire hazzard.. That is code word for they are trying to be overly PC. Bull S&^TTY